(Left) Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso, Mayor of the City of Manila | (Right) Manila’s COVID-19 field hospital at Burnham Green in Rizal Park [Photo credit: From the Facebook and LinkedIn Page of Manila Mayor]
Back on 20 April 2021, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced the plans to build a temporary hospital or COVID-19 field hospital at Burnham Green in Rizal Park. A groundbreaking ceremony was held that day. They plan to finish the 336-bed field hospital in two months’ time. The field hospital will be dedicated to COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate symptoms. This covers 4,402 square meters of the area. [1]
Then on 14 June 2021, the Manila Mayor announced on social media the early completion of the field hospital project. He said, “We have just completed the main physical works for a new 336-bed critical care field hospital devoted entirely to Covid-19 cases.”
“You might wonder why we in Manila are building out more healthcare capacity right when vaccines are finally starting to arrive in the Philippines.”
“The City of Manila is the most densely populated city on Earth (more than 74,000 per square kilometer in some areas) while greater Metro Manila packs an estimated 25-30 million people across its urban fabric. It is one of the world’s top 20 metropolitan agglomerations.”
“As we have recently seen in cities around the world and here at home it is so important to be prepared for more waves of new cases, new variants, etc. I want to make sure we are always prepared,” the Mayor explained. [2]
He further noted that the City of Manila COVID-19 field hospital will be open to everyone, “…No matter where you live (in Manila or not) or who you are (Filipino or foreigner, rich or poor). This much needed facility will reduce immediate pressure on hospital emergency rooms and ICUs across the entire national capital region which need to be devoted to the most serious cases.”
“Delivered in just 52 days - ahead of originally planned 60! This is your Manila government at work, for everyone.”
During the groundbreaking ceremony last April, Mayor Domagoso said that the mild and moderate patients in the city’s six district hospitals would be transferred to the COVID-19 field hospital.
The field hospital will be fully air-conditioned and equipped with internal communication (intercom), Internet access, and separate wards for female and male patients. Food will be provided to patients for free. [1]
The Mayor also said that a director would be assigned to manage its operations and Manila Health Department’s medical doctors and nurses would man the field hospital. The Mayor plans to put more intensive care units (ICUs) inside the hospitals once public hospitals in Manila becomes less congested. He said that the city government decided to construct the field hospital after they received reports of COVID-19 patients with mild and moderate cases who have died while in triage or tents or in parking areas hospitals while waiting to be admitted. [1]
[Photo credit: From the LinkedIn Page of Manila Mayor, Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso]
This field hospital will be a temporary structure at a land area that was lent by Rizal Park Administration and the Department of Tourism. “We will temporarily use this area. After the pandemic, the City of Manila will return this in good condition,” said Mayor Domagoso from a report by Philippine News Agency. The City of Manila is currently hiring medical professionals (physicians, nurses, nursing aids).
Manila’s government allotted Php154 million for this project. The Mayor said that he patterned this field hospital from a similar facility in Italy.
Looking back in history, the City of Manila's origin dates back in the 13th century or earlier where it was under the Sultanate of Brunei. Then on 24 June 1571, Miguel López de Legazpi arrived in Manila and declared Manila as a territory of New Spain (Mexico). He was the first governor general of the Philippines. He established a city council in the district of Intramuros.
The City of Manila became a highly urbanised city by 22 December 1979. Last 24 June 2021, the City of Manila celebrated its 450th anniversary. This newly-built field hospital is one of the many accomplishments of the city for their pandemic response.
This month, the City of Manila has also been named as one of the 50 finalist Champion Cities for the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2021 Global Mayors Challenge.
"On behalf of the more than two million residents of the City of Manila and indeed on behalf of every Filipino - wherever they are in the Philippines or around the world - for whom their capital city occupies an outsize role in their hearts and minds, we are hugely honored that the City of Manila has been named as one of 50 finalist Champion Cities for the Bloomberg Philanthropies 2021 Global Mayor’s Challenge," said the Manila Mayor.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies 2021 Global Mayor's Challenge is a globally prestigious "ideas competition" for urban development in 2021. The competition encourages cities from around the world to come up with the best ideas to address and solve the problems brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are 631 cities from 99 countries who submitted their applications for the competition.
In the Philippines, the City of Manila and Butuan in northern Mindanao are the only two cities in the Southeast Asian region that were included in the global 50 finalists.
"For Manila, we have proposed 'Go Manila' - a series of policies, programs and platforms - which will create the first truly holistic data infrastructure for any Philippines city. 'Go Manila' will upskill our city government and uplift Manila residents – particularly its poor – in a city-wide program of digital education, engagement, analytics and opportunity while improving policies and programs for good governance. Go Manila will be the first city-wide, digital data infrastructure for any Philippine city, delivering life improvements for all Manila residents," said Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso.[2]
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References:
[1] Moaje, Marita (21 April 2021). Philippine News Agency. “P154-M Covid-19 field hospital in Manila to cater to mild cases”. Retrieved from - https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1137528
[2] From the LinkedIn Page of Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso, Mayor of the City of Manila
https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisco-iskomoreno-domagoso/
Photo credit:
- LinkedIn Page of Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso, Mayor of the City of Manila - https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisco-iskomoreno-domagoso/
- Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/iskomorenodomagoso
